Even if you don’t win a Nobel Prize for your 1000-page novel of insight and intrigue that could redeem all of humanity, writing is a gift. Looking back over my life, I’ve come to realize how important writing has been for me. First, it was therapy when I was a lonely troubled teen. I spent hours contemplating the changes I was going through. I wrote terrible stories that were moody and lacked plot, but they kept me striving and focused.
In adulthood, while still struggling to write the Great American Novel, I realized I had to advance my vocabulary, spelling and grammar skills. I got my best instruction from Writers Digest Magazine. I fondly remember the one page wonder “50 Frequently Misspelled Words” that I memorized. I was then able to get a perfect score on a job spelling test. I never wanted to be a secretary, but wiser folks convinced me that if I could do my own typing (keyboarding), it would help advance my writing career. Unlike Hemmingway, I would not have to hire a typist.
During economic downturns, when I was without a job, I kept myself busy writing my novels. I studied human nature for the sake of characterization and watched plot lines develop in movies and novels. Any experience that you have in life is potential fiber for the creation of a new story. Along the way, in my life, I did anti-war protests, union organizing, tenant organizing, and community organizing to save a park. All this conflict made for writing opportunities. Besides writing four novels, I wrote numerous short stories that got published and several newsletters for the organizing that I was doing. Over the years, I helped write letters assisting people with legal matters since I was also trained as a paralegal.
Now that I’m 70, I’m finding new uses for my writing. Letters to the editor do help persuade people on issues of importance. If you have a knack for arguing your point, it’s an opportunity to take the lead and encourage your community to be bold in their own defense. Last time I looked, it was still a democracy here in the U.S.A. We need to continue exercising it. They always tell old people, use it or lose it. That seems to be very true . Keep writing and rewarding yourself with this gift.
I entered engineering. Engineers and scientists generally are not very good writers. But I found myself helping others with their writing and finding that my writing and presentation skills worked for getting across what I had to say.
You are right about getting involved in our communities. When I was younger I didn't hesitate to write a memo, letter or complaint when I saw something going wrong in our community. Today I just hope that others will take up the cause as I write my fiction of the way I think the world should be and often isn't.
Ron